I once heard that Zen Buddhists see enlightenment at getting a new pair of glasses so that we live in the same world but see things quite differently. Until well into recovery my glasses had had a distinctive brown tint and the world seemed like a drab, dull and scary thing that I felt the need to escape from as often as possible.  When I gave up chemical escape,  a solution that had become more of a problem than the original problem was, regardless of whether you call that alcoholism, addiction,  addictive personality,  or whatever,  I was left with trying to get absorbed in my job,  meetings and fantasies,  but I still felt I needed to escape from what I thought was reality.

 Over the years, reality has gotten a lot better and my glasses are clear and even have a bit of a rosy tint most of the time.  I can see that most of the world has always been pretty nice but I put myself in the worst  places and put a negative interpretation on just about everything.  I  have also found that there is a spiritual dimension that I didn't know  was there, knowing that things are pretty much the way they should be and  don't me need me to fret about them.  I have learned that all I have to concern myself with are those things that are in front of me here and now

 that can do something about,  mostly my own attitudes and actions.  I now feel gratitude for what I have and seldom think about what I don't have.  There is nothing I miss or want to change.  Having lots more money would just enable me to fly first class to places I don't want go to anyway.  I now see that recovery is about being able to adjust to spiritual reality.